Becoming a faculty member at an institution of higher education is a common career path for many graduate students once they finish their degree. However, faculty life at a research university, like the University of California, Irvine (UCI), can be very different from faculty life at a comprehensive university, a liberal arts college, or a community college.
To assist graduate students in exploring these different institutional settings, Graduate Division offers two teaching career internship programs in collaboration with the California State University (CSU) System and the California Community Colleges.
The CSU Pre-Professor Program (PREPP) is designed to support UCI doctoral students’ and postdoctoral scholars’ transition to a faculty position by engaging them in a semester-long program at a participating CSU campus. The goal of PREPP is to immerse participants in the life of a faculty member at a comprehensive master’s granting institution. Participating students and scholars will receive individual mentorship from an experienced Faculty Mentor in three broad categories: Instruction, Understanding the Campus Culture, and Service. Applications are accepted twice per year for participation in the upcoming semester. To learn more about CSU PREPP and the application process, please visit the full webpage.
The California Community College Internship Program (CCCIP) is a year-long program that provides qualifying graduate students the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience in a community college setting. Participating students can expect tailored training and professional development, in-class teaching experiences and observations, and mentorship from current faculty at a local community college. Applications are accepted once a year during the winter quarter and students admitted to the program can expect programmatic activities to begin in July. To learn more about the CCCIP, its requirements, and the application process, please visit the full webpage.
